Fourth Time's The Charm
by Zaabeth
Summary: You're out there in the dark. Alone. And chances are that you're most likely dead. But if you're not, if you're still alive and can hear me, please Runner 5, just keep running. I'll keep talking to you, giving you something to follow. Because that's all I can really do. Others may have given you up for dead, but I'm still here, betting on you, our fourth Runner 5.


**Hmm, what is this? A fanfic for a basically non-existent fandom? A story for a little running app? Yup. That's exactly what this is. A one-shot for a beloved game called Zombies, Run!**

**I couldn't help myself though. I was stuck on a bus with my iPod and next thing I knew I was writing this little gem on the notepad thing. So voila. Here you go. A story.**

**I'm not anticipating many readers, so if you're reading this, thank you very, very much. Please let me know what you think.**

**Warnings: Spoilers for mission 9 of season 1.**

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Run.

That's really all I say, isn't it? It's all I can say. Just keep running, you're doing great, and oh, by the way, you're not even our second Runner 5, you're our fourth. Don't know why I said that last bit to you. It's not like it's even a morale booster or anything. Just the plain truth. And I keep saying other useless things too, about engineering, or my sister, or ice cream sandwiches, anything to fill that awful blank static sound coming from your speakers. But for some reason, you know, that fourth Runner 5 thing seems kind of important.

Maybe it's 'cause in the back of my mind I'm trying to tell myself that fourth time's the charm. Yup, that's right, fourth is great. Fourth's bloody brilliant. Fourth time's the charm, so just keep on running, because you'll surely make it home.

But that's not really the way it's supposed to go, is it? Fourth time's the charm? Hah, yeah, I know. It's not meant to be fourth. It's third. Unlike that ice cream sandwich thing, I can actually remember this facet from the world 'before'. Third is meant to be that key number. And that would be lovely and all, but third stumbled. Third got caught. Third went and got herself turned into a zombie, chased our fourth, and we had to- well we had to bloody shoot her in the head.

Yeah, that. So third's not around anymore. I'm left betting on fourth.

But hell, fourth doesn't look to be around much longer either, what with you being out there. In the dark. Alone.

You're probably dead, aren't you.

Right, no thinking about that. I'm sorry. I'm trying here though. Really, I am. Can you here my voice? I'm speaking to you, saying that inconsequential story about my time in University. You probably don't even care, do you? If you're still alive, that is. I mean, you wouldn't care if you were dead or a zombie, either, I guess. I'm just trying to give you something to follow. Is it working? Are you trying to make it back here? Just keep running, Runner 5, you're doing great.

You know, my mind is going a little funny on me. I'm not scared to say that I'm probably pretty close to breaking down. You can bet I'll have some trouble holding on to my meagre sanity if you don't make it back. Or even worse, if you do make it back. As a zombie. And I have to watch them shoot you down. God that'd be awful. I truly almost lost it when I saw it happen it the old Runner 5, you know? But it had to be done. Awful, but dammit, it was necessary. If it happens again, though... man, I don't know. I think that'd be it for me.

Actually, I'm kind of losing it already, aren't I? Getting a little frayed at the edges, I'd say. All alone, here, in this control room, talking to someone who has probably can't even hear me. Not quite right in the head. At least that's what they're telling me, in kinder, more subtle words. Apparently if you go in to someone's room in the middle of the night during a zombie apocalypse to ask about ice cream sandwiches, people get kinda worried. Crazy, I know. But they're telling me to let it go, give up, go to sleep.

They're telling me that you're already gone, Runner 5.

And for some reason, some bloody unknowable reason, I refuse to believe that.

Because I'm still here, aren't I? Still talking to you, hours after we lost contact. Hoping you're alive - and if you are, that would be really, really great. And I'm still giving you instructions, advice, telling you what you need to do. They're closing the gates soon, by the way, which is kind of counterproductive for your situation, but they wouldn't listen to me when I told them to give you just a little more time. So if you're on your way here, it would be good to put on a burst of speed.

You can make it. I know you can, Runner 5.

I'm still here, waiting for you.

So just do your best.

Wait, what is that noise? Is that-

Oh god. The- the alarm is sounding, isn't it. That's what that noise is. The alarm for the gate. Bloody hell, they're getting ready to lower goddamn gate. Fuck no, not now. Runner 5, right now would be a good time to show up. Like right goddamn now. Please, please show up.

I can't- I don't know what to do. I'm panicking. The alarm is still going. You- your time is up, Runner 5. There's no way you can survive the entire night out there, no matter how much you run. You need to be here. Now. Because they're going to lower the gate and shut you out.

I- I don't know what else to say.

Oh god, if you can hear me, run. Just run.

Shit. Shit shit, no. You can't- they can't leave you out there. They can't do that. Not to you. No. Just god no.

Runner 5. Bloody fucking Runner 5, listen to me now. You have seconds - seconds! - to show up on our screens. Please. You need to show up NOW or it's over. If the gate closes, it's done. There's nothing anyone can do. They won't open it back up. Not until morning, and you can't last that long. I... I can delay them if I see you. As long as it's not completely shut. But they'll only do that if you're in range. I need to see you on screen. Now. So please, god please just keep running.

I'm trying. I'm trying so damn hard to see you. Bloody hell, I can't... You're not showing up, and the gate... the gate's started descending.

I- It's over, isn't. You're not coming ba-

Wait.

Was that... Oh god that's- there! Movement, on the screen from the north side. It's... I... I can see you, Runner 5! And- and you're running. God, you're alive and running and oh my god they need to hold the gate!

Hold the bloody gate!

I can see you. Just keep running, that's it. God that's it. You had a trail following you but you left them behind, and you're still running. You... you're amazing, Runner 5. They've held the gate for you. We can all see you now. Just a few more steps, that's it, and few more steps and you're in.

Oh god you've made it. You're alive.

It's over, Runner 5. You're home.

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**Aha, look. It's done. Welp. I had fun writing this, so if you had fun reading it, drop a review or something. It'd be much appreciated.**

**Thank you kindly, and I hope you have a wonderful day.**


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